A few Days with Her Son
by keithallen
Summary: Cameron and John get to meet and talk with John Junior. JJ's alien craft has also been seen and is being hunted for.
1. Chapter 1

A few Days with her Son

CH 1

In the control room of their Stealth ship, John was going over the flight path back to their own time, Nancy was piloting with Julie as a co-pilot. Jasper was checking the ship's functions as they prepared to head back home.

Suddenly, the there was a loud noise and the ship shook violently. They were all belted in, but Jasper's cup flew over and hit John in the back of the head. The chips John was snacking on exploded up to rain down around him.

"What the hell was that!" Jasper cried.

"We hit something," Nancy said evenly as she scanned for damage.

"How! We're no where near any satellites or orbiting craft," Julie complained.

"This is pre, Sky Net Earth," John reminded them. "There's tons of debris in orbit."

"Nancy, you're not using radar?" Jasper cried.

"We're in stealth mode, Jasper," she replied. "If we emit radar, we'll be detected."

A red light on the co pilot's panel flashed as an alarm went off. "We just lost number three engine," Julie announced, and shut it down.

"Damn it!" John spat. "OK, we have to go back down and fix it. We're not getting back on just three engines."

"I'm taking a steep dive back down, we're visible," Nancy announced.

"Can we cloak?" John asked.

"It's engaged," Nancy told him. "How well it's working, I don't know."

John let out a huff and said, "Well, this sucks!"

.

The sleek black craft reenter the atmosphere flickering. They'd gone around the Earth once, and were over the west coast of the US as they plunged back to Earth. Nancy slowed and controlled their speed so they didn't make a visible flame trail. She had to pulse the radar a couple times to be sure no one was in their way.

"Coming down on the south eastern California desert," Nancy told them. "I have good control, but if we have to hover, it's going to be tough with an engine out."

"We got wheels, right?" John asked. "Find an empty road to set glide down on."

.

At NASA, one of the operators said, "Sir! We lost communications with the SSMV!"

Another operator said, "Sir, I'm showing a collision on radar. Something hit the SSMV. I'm seeing debris falling from the orbital path. The spread of debris indicates whatever hit our drone was circling the Earth in the wrong direction in low orbit. I have one large piece of debris …. It's coming on and off the screen. It's gone again."

The Major asked in a stressed voice, "How is it coming on and off? That's not possible."

"Maybe it's a chunk of stealth covering," an engineer said. We're seeing it tumble on it's way down."

"Ahh, sir?" the radar operator said, "This chunk is bigger than the SSMV was."

"Another craft?" the Major asked.

"Possible, it's over southern California, I just picked it up again. The trajectory changed."

"That can happen with debris," the engineer agreed.

"Sir, it showed down, and is headed … was headed due east, I lost it again."

The engineer blanked and said, "Debris can't do that."

The Major picked up his phone to get a pair of fighters out there to see what in the hell they were looking at.

.

"We're going to need visual cover. Any woods around?" John asked.

Julie eyed him and asked, "In the desert?"

"I'm down to three thousand off the ground," Nancy reported. "Not receiving any incoming radar pulses. John, I'm sure we got spotted by someone. I'm dropping to two thousand and turning northwest. Number three engine is on the bottom right. We should be fairly stealthy as long as we stay low. Camo is working. I'm heading for the mountains."

"Good. We need to hide this ship until we can get it repaired," John told her.

Watching the visual sensors, Julie said, "Hey, off to our right is a whole bunch of planes, and a runway. They go on for miles!"

John focused on it and zoomed in. "An airplane junk yard. We can hide in there and maybe find parts," he said.

"On my way," Nancy said and banked over to fly down to it.

.

Cameron sat at John's computer in his room. John was still sleeping as she surfed. One thing Cameron learned was how to surf the internet and bypass security codes. She got John the latest computer games for free and tapped a few big bank accounts for 'ready' cash under several people's names. She even found a radio station she could listen to and change the frequency of. Not outgoing, but the receiver for the station that checked to be sure they were on the correct frequency. Scanning the waves, she picked up a conversation between two pilots.

"Search one, I'm not seeing anything. You sure they gave us the right coordinates?"

"Won't be the first time we got sent on a wild goose chase, search two. Whatever it is, this thing is suppose to be nearly a hundred feet long that fell from orbit."

"We got anything that big in orbit besides a space station?"

"Maybe someone else did. OK we're at the end of this pattern, Let's turn north and go back, two miles apart."

Another voice asked, "Search One, Base, anything?"

"Negative. Nothing in the air, no sign of impacts on the ground. Request an confirmation on the coordinates."

"Last known position was 150 miles east of Palmdale air station, headed east, 084, altitude, 8000. It slowed, but was still falling."

"It slowed? We're not talking a meteor here, are we?"

"Negative. That's why you boys are out there to find it."

"You're saying it could have landed?"

"I'm saying we need to find out what in the hell that was."

"Base, we need helicopters out here. We flew over the coordinates and nothing for a hundred miles further out. We're going into a grid pattern and check fifty miles to either side."

"Roger, Search One."

Cameron put the receiver back in normal condition. She also sensed another on the net. Another AI.

Hello

The greeting was simple, Cameron replied, Hello who are you?

I am John Henry. That was an inventive way to listen to radio broadcasts.

Thank you, John Henry. Do you know what they were talking about?

Yes, a NASA flight collided with an unknown object. The NASA craft was destroyed. The unknown fell back into atmosphere. By the changes in trajectory, it was intelligently operated. It fell off radar many times until it disappeared below radar 150 miles away from the Palmdale reference point. Using a satellite, I determined it changed direction and vanished. May I ask who you are?

I am Cameron. I am also interested in this craft. From the data you obtained, this craft was taking evasive maneuvers?

I believe so. I got a short visual of it if you wish to see it.

Yes, please slow me, John Henry.

The image Cameron got was slightly blurred, but she noted the shape and color.

Do you know what that is?

Yes. I saw it outside of the Zeira Corporation headquarters in Los Angeles. John Henry, the crew on board is from the future. They are assisting in helping to stop Sky Net. We cannot let anyone find that craft before I do. They may be in trouble.

I will assist where possible.

Thank you, John Henry. I must go now.

Good luck, Cameron.

Cameron disconnected. She found another AI on the internet, but it wasn't Sky Net. It was friendly and helpful. Possibly John Henry could help her John in destroying Sky Net.

She called up a goggle map of the area and plotted the known course of the craft she now knew her son was on. Knowing which way they turned, she was sure they were going to land in a remote place to hide. Planes had been sent out to look for them, meaning they hadn't come back they way they came in. If they detected those planes searching for them, then they would have gone due north to open the range then northeast to northwest to avoid them. Flying low, they would have landed as soon as possible to avoid detection.

Their ship had to be damaged from the collision, otherwise they would not have descended back into the atmosphere after collision.

Making a huge pie shape on the map centered on north, the tip as their starting point, Cameron looked in that area for possible places they would have landed. She immediately ruled out any towns in the area, tourist resorts and major roads. They wanted to hide. Not knowing what their ship was truly capable of, or how badly it was damaged, Cameron began to fill her search parameters with limitations. They would want to do repairs. They would want privacy. As she selected the limitations, she darkened out portions of the pie to reduce the search area.

With a sleepy groan, John asked, "Cameron? What are you doing?"

Cameron replied, "Searching for our son."

The bed squeaked as John sat up quickly. "What?" he cried.

Explaining what she knew, she said, "He and his crew were leaving. In orbit, they ran into a NASA vehicle and came back down into the atmosphere. NASA picked them up and lost them again several times on radar. The last confirmed contact was 150 miles east of Palmdale air station at 8000 feet. The satellite image I saw, the ship was pointed to the north. Two planes went looking for it, they found nothing, indicating it had landed someplace, or was flying too low for the planes to detect. That ship must be damaged. They are most likely looking for a place to hide and repair their ship in secret."

John hurried over to look over her shoulder. "They crashed?" he asked.

"Unknown. Apparently the ship is still flight capable, but damaged enough that they could not stay in orbit," Cameron told him. "I am searching for possible places they may be."

John's mind whirled. "We do have a son …. Or will," he said.

"Yes, he is in trouble," Cameron stated.

Looking at Cameron, John said, "We get married and have kids?"

"We have children. I do not know if we marry," Cameron replied.

John stared at her. "Cam … I … How?" he asked.

"I do not know," Cameron said, making more dark spots in the pie shape she'd made. "Sex will be involved, but I do not know how I will be able to bear children."

John flushed. "Then we…" he paused again, not wanting to ask when they have sex.

Cameron glanced at him and said, "John, I love you and you love me. I am yours John, any time you need me."

John could not shut his mouth. "You … love me?" he asked weakly.

"Yes, John. You love me too. You don't have to say it, you show it," Cameron explained. She then put a finger on the screen. "There, this is an airplane graveyard, fairly large. It covers four square miles. If they landed in there, and can camouflage their craft, it is possible they can repair their ship with no one knowing."

John hardly heard what she said. He was still on the "I love you," Cameron had told him.

He was still staring at her as she got up and faced him.

"You … you're not just saying that?" he asked weakly.

"No, I am sure that is where they are," Cameron replied.

John shook his head. "No, I mean the … I love you. You really mean that?" he asked.

Cameron cocked her head slightly and said, "Yes. I understand, you need some sort of affection for you to believe it." She then drew him close and hugged him.

At a loss for words or what to do, John hugged her back. Damn, holding Cameron felt nice.

"But … you're a machine, you can love?" John finally asked.

"Yes, John. I am a machine, and I can love," Cameron said, pulling back enough to look at him. "I will not be as emotional s a human girl will be. I will operate far beyond my mission parameters to see you are happy as well as protected. Whatever you want, so long as it does not harm you, I will do my best to give you."

Holding Cameron, he really didn't want to let go. "You are evolving," he said absently.

"I am," Cameron agreed. She sported a brief smile and said, "I want to evolve with you, John."

John smiled back then said, "Mom's gonna be pissed."

"Yes, she will. I am going to find our son."

"I'm coming with you."

.

Going downstairs, Sarah wasn't to be found. The only thing in the driveway was Derek's new truck. Derek was sacked out in the back in a lounger. Cameron walked quietly out and deftly lifted his keys.

Wanting his mother not to worry, John left a note for her :

 _Mom, Cameron and I are going out to find our son. Be back as soon as we can._

.

Landing with a single engine out wasn't possible. Nancy fought the controls as they tipped. The small air foils were not able to compensate for the uneven thrust. She ended up shutting down number two engine to more or less balance them out as they slowed down. The space between the old planes wasn't much, just enough to drag more planes in and out. Selecting large craft to land in, she had her hands full. Debris in the 'roads' between the planes didn't help any either. Piece of torn apart engines, controls and chunks of housing meant she had to slow and tip dangerously before she set down. It was a hard shudder upon landing, but she did land them upright on their landing gear.

"Let's not do that again," Jasper said, blowing out a breath.

"Agreed," Nancy said.

John lowered the ramp and walked around to view the damage, followed by Julie, Jasper and Nancy.

Lower hull on the starboard side, a long scrape preceded the number three engine that had a chunk torn out of it. The piece that was gone wasn't very big, but the dent caved part of the engine in.

"Well that engine's screwed," Jasper said in a huff as he looked up at it.

"We need to fix it," John told him. He looked around and said, "We also have to hide our ship. It can be seen from the air."

Nancy looked at the planes and said, "Look, there's enough room between these old jets to put it in and miss the wings. We set the camo to match the ground, and we'll be all but invisible, and no one will see us working."

"So, we push," Jasper concluded.

"Yup!" John said, " Nancy, get the left gear, Jasper the right, I'll get the front. Julie, would you go in and steer?"

They got set then pushed on the upper parts of the wheels to roll the ship backwards. In the cockpit, Julie watched and steered as they back their ship in between a couple of old airliners. Being too close to one, they had to push their ship back out, then back in again once Julie corrected her steering. Julie got the color scheme of the ground and projected it on top of their ship. She set the monitor to watch just ahead of their ship to change their ship's color to match the ground. Julie left a single generator running to supply their power needs.

Returning to the destroyed engine, John said, "OK, now we need to make a platform to get up there and work on it."

.

Major Thompson got a break. A report of a low flying back craft trailing smoke from the rear came in from a concerned citizen. Going to their map, They marked where this craft was seen, and got as much detail from the report as possible. The craft was headed north west, and drawing a line, one end of the line of it's flight path passed right through the place where the unknown was lost.

"So it is a ship," he said in a mussing tone. "But who's is it?"

"No markings were visible, Sir. The report said the black craft appeared suddenly, then disappeared. The man who saw it, only noted it was black, sleek and didn't appear to have wings, he tracked it by the tendrils of smoke coming off it."

"It's a visual stealth ship," Major Thompson realized. "Most likely invisible to radar also when it's stealth system is working. It's damaged from the impact, that's why we were able to see it at all."

"Who has something like that?" his captain asked.

"No one. At least no one we know." Major Thompson stated. "Gentlemen, this could be a real alien craft. Get me General Harder, we need to find this thing, ASAP."

.

John drove Derek's truck down the highway, following Cameron's directions. Heading out of LA, his phone rang. Cameron picked it up for him. "Hello?"

John could hear his mother's voice as she screamed, "Where in the hell are you?"

Calmly, Cameron replied, "We are heading east to go look for our son."

"Let me speak to Derek!" Sarah snapped.

"Derek isn't here. He was sleeping out back on a lounger," Cameron explained.

There was a pause, then Sarah cried, "You stole his truck?"

"Negative. We are borrowing it," Cameron explained.

"Where are you now ?" Sarah asked in a demand.

Cameron looked a the road sign she saw and said, "Passing the exit for Pasadena."

"On WHAT road?" Sarah asked in a grating tone.

"Wait, there will be a sign coming up."

"Cameron, I want to talk to John," Sarah stated.

"I'm sorry, John is driving and it is unsafe for him to talk on the phone while he is driving, as well as illegal. He'd have to pull over, and we're in a hurry," Cameron explained.

"LOOK TIN MISS!" Sarah raged, "I want to know where you are going!"

"I just told you. Don't you remember?" Cameron asked innocently, making John laugh.

"How about a destination?" Sarah growled.

"We don't know that is yet. I can call when we get there," Cameron offered.

There was a pause, then Sarah growled, "I want to talk to John the INSTANT he is able to."

Cameron folded the phone back up. "John, your mother wants you to call when you can."

"Will do," he said with a smirk. Glancing at Cameron he asked, "Were you just toying with my mother?"

"I gave her truthful answers," Cameron replied with a slight grin.

"You were messing with her too," he said, casting her another grin.

"It made you laugh," Cameron said.

"It did," He agreed. "So, you like pushing Mom's angry button?"

Cameron was quiet for a moment, then said, "Yes. I cannot explain why, but it is satisfying."

"For all the times she has insulted you, I can understand why. You're getting payback," John told her.

Cameron grew a wider grin and said, "Yes. Derek has been much meaner to me … and we have his truck."

John suddenly felt sorry for Derek. "Just remember, we have to drive it home too."

"We will," Cameron assured him innocently..

.

Ten search planes, fifteen helicopters a radar plane and a satellite, and the military was finding nothing of this mysterious black craft. It was like the thing had buried itself into the ground.

Whatever it was, it was now long gone. The course it had been on was scowered from the mountains back to where it's last position was known, as well as a hundred miles to each side. The alert for it was out, all they could do now was keep up a watch for it to reappear somewhere.

.

Marking where they were on the map in her HUD, Cameron noted then they got close to the airplane junk yard. Pointing to the left, Cameron said, John, that dip, where the stream bed is. Go up it. Use four wheel drive."

John slowed. The stream bed wasn't very smooth. Rocks and humps file the bottom. He put the truck in four wheel and crept off the road. In a steep spot, he heard scraping then the truck bounced down on the bottom. "Derek isn't going to be happy," he noted.

Cameron grinned.

Although it was a challenge, John help moving slow, climbing up on rocks, tipping the truck and bouncing down to move on. In one spot, he saw a ledge. He gunned it to bounced up over the top, and got the truck stuck. Cameron had to get out and push the truck up over the lip of the remains of a low waterfall.

Coming upon a much less bumpy place that was all small rocks and gravel, John asked, "Cam, why are we taking a stream bed?"

"There is a gate and guards on the road that leads to the junk yard. We are bypassing it," she explained. "We will come to a fence. Don't worry, we'll get through it."

John let out a snort and asked, "Because this is a Dodge … Ram?"

Cameron smiled at him. "Good idea," she replied.

After a few miles of bouncing along and squeezing through a narrow spot that made John since as he heard scraping sounds, they came upon a chain link fence. The fence was old and rusty. It was strung across the stream bed. John slowed as he came up to it.

"Cam, I don't think we're getting through it," he said.

"Yes we are," she said and got out. Cameron ducked under the fence and motioned John towards her. The bottom of fence was just below the hood. Cameron had him stop, then got up on the bumper and lifted. The fence came up, the front of the truck went down. She pulled up until some pops sounded and she lifted the fence about a foot above the hood. She motioned with her fingers for him to come forward.

John did, slowly. He had to step on the gas a little harder. Cameron stepped up on the hood, making a dent deep. She leaned forward and let the fence go. It recoiled on the roof with a screeching sound. Cameron jumped down and had John come forward again. John winced as the truck squealed out from under the fence. The fence dropped down onto bed edges and squeaked along until it fell off the tailgate.

Cameron got in, wearing a big smile. "We got through," she beamed.

John shook his head woth a grin. Derek was NOT going to be happy. They continued on up the stream bed.

.

John Junior and his crew made a platform from materials lying around. A round engine housing for support, a piece of wing was the platform. Japer looked into the back of the engine.

"Aww shit, that dent crushed some cable, we had an electrical fir in here," Jasper said with a huff. "This thing needs a total rebuild."

John Junior didn't think it could be worse. "All right, Jasper, help me start removing the cowling and armor. Nancy, find us some heavy wire. Julie, keep watch on top, if anyone comes, as can't be seen."

John hoisted Julie up so she was able to jump up on top of the ship. He and Jasper got tools and got started.

Nancy jumped up into up into the cargo hatch in a pane that was not far away. The cargo door was open, and it had four engines. There should be wire in here. The inside was sectioned. With low power plasma, she cut a hole in the bulkhead and looked in. Seeing what looked like wire, she tore a bigger hole in the bulkhead.

They were hydraulic lines, shit.

She went aft farther and did find some wiring. It was thinner than they needed, but they could braid it together. She cut a hole to toss the wiring out as she collected as long of lengths as possible. She had to rip the inside apart more, but she was getting wire.

On her fifth trip to toss a twenty foot length of wire down the hole, she heard someone call. "Need help?"

Nancy looked out the hole. Cameron was here with John and a pickup truck that had seen some recent body damage, showing plenty of silver metal. She waved. "Hey, yeah! If you could carry this wire in your truck, I'd appreciate it!"

John said, "Cam, I'll load the wire, can you help her collect it?"

"Yes, John." Cameron replied. She got up on the hood, then the roof, making more dents, then jumped up to the hole Nancy made. Nancy caught her hands and pulled her in.

The usable wire they were finding was mostly main power wiring. Still thinner, but there was lots of it. John half filled the bed of the truck, then Cameron and Nancy dropped back down to the truck. Nancy pointed to the next plane they were going to scavenge.

That plane was already stripped, so they moved to the next one.

"I an really glad you're here," Nancy beamed as Cameron ripped the cover off a breaker box, then pulled the wires from their connections.

Cameron offered her a brief smile. "I need to talk to John Junior."

"You will," Nancy said, then grinned and added, "And if he won't, I'll help you bop him on the head with a pipe."

"Nancy, how can I have children?" Cameron asked.

Nancy pulled the wires through the conduit that Cameron was yanking the ends off. "I really don't know if I should say. We do have to be careful about changing history," she said sympathetically.

"You almost seem human. You have evolved?" Cameron asked.

"I am half human," Nancy said. "I also went to school with humans. You have never really gotten that chance, have you?"

"Some, going to school with John," Cameron replied. "I know much human behavior, some are confusing."

Nancy had pulled all the wire out and shoved it down the hole she made. "You are still operating on Mission priorities," she said.

"Yes. I can expand those priorities, but they are still present," Cameron explained.

Nancy nodded and asked, "Do you love John?"

"I love John and he loves me." Cameron stated.

Nancy smiled and said, "Let's help you out a bit."

.

John was working up a sweat just rolling up wire and throwing it in the back of the truck. He'd never thought of wire as something heavy, but with the long rolls, and the amount of it, Derek's truck was squatting down. He stopped to wipe the sweat off his face with his shirt.

His phone rang.

John winced then he picked it up. "Hi Mom,"

In an even, quivering tone, Sarah asked, "Where are you?"

"We're helping to gather wire so JJ and his crew can fix their ship. I don't know how long this it going to take," he explained.

"How about a location?" she asked, sounding stressed.

"Can't, Mom. Look, we'll be home as soon as we can, OK?"

"I do not like you off someplace alone with Tin Miss!"

"Sorry, Mom, it's something we have to do."

A new male voice came on and said, "You are being traced, hang up!"

John did so immediately. He turned his phone off then pulled the battery.

Shit, they already had trouble.

Cameron flew down out of the hole in the plane and hit the truck's roof, denting it deeply, she then bounced down into the bed, making the truck shake, and jumped out to land right in front of him wearing a big smile. John wanted to ask what was up, but she hugged and lifted him, spinning him around in a circle before she let him regain his feet.

John stared at Cameron, who was broadly smiling. "Cam? Ahh, we got trouble…" he offered and got cut off.

"This first," Cameron beamed and drew him into a hug and kissed him.

John's eyes went wide. At the serious kiss. After a second of shock, he returned the kiss and held her tight. With John just about out of breath, Cameron pulled back to beam him a smile.

John's face grinned ear to ear as he asked, "What's with you?"

"John, I'm FREE!, "Cameron announced. "No more Sky Net, no more limits! John, I can do what I want to do!" she all but yelled.

"That's great," he said watching her beaming smile. "How'd that happen?"

Cameron flung an arm at Nancy who had dropped down out of the plane a little more gently than Cameron had. "Nancy did it! She knows how to remove Sky Net from chips!"

Spinning back to him, Cameron took on a lusty gaze. She fingered his shirt and said, "Once we get this wire back, We're going to have a little quiet time for us."

"I… you sure?" he asked hopefully.

"OH yeah!" she breathed with a lusty grin, "John, It has been suppressed, but now I can feel it. Really feel it! I love you and you love me," she said brightly.

John was stunned by this transformation. "Cam, this is wonderful." He also remembered the warning to hang up. "Mom called, and this voice came on and said we were being traced."

John Henry," Cameron said firmly. "He's been watching over us. Someone might be looking, but don't worry, they won' find us."

"OK," John agreed. Seeing Cameron like this, he never wanted to let go of her even though they had more work to do. He didn't think Cameron did either.

In the truck bed, standing on the pile of wire, Nancy was beaming a smile also. She called, "Hey guys? We can strip one more plane before we go back. It's going to be dark soon. You can play then."

John nodded. On impulse he kissed Cameron. His kiss was eagerly accepted, arms wrapped tight around each other.

Nancy rolled her eyes and said, "No sex please? We have to get this stuff to the ship."

.

Major Thompson and General Harder got the news. They had the monitored conversation, but someone had broken in and warned the people to hang up, which they did. They did get the cell towers involved, but not the exact location. They listened to it twice.

"Tin Miss?" Harder asked. "That must be a code mane.

"It did sound like a mother talking to her son," Thompson said. "If this ship they are going to repair is the one that came down, it's not alien. We need to find these people."

"A ship on the ground will need to be tucked in someplace to hide it. A hanger, someplace that's big enough to hide it. We got the cell towers involved, start at the desert end and work back to the LA end in the range of those towers. Find out where that ship is," Harder stated.


	2. Chapter 2

CH 2

While a massive search was on for the mysterious black ship. General Harder collected every scrap of information on this thing they could find.

At the round table meeting, a NASA scientist was also present to go over the initial orbital impact. On a screen on the wall, he projected a picture of the SSMV craft what was a triangular shaped craft. Using a pointer, he said, "This is the SSMV, it is a classified craft and the largest orbiter craft ever made. The wing span is fifty three feet, it weights 40 tons. It had all the latest tech, and has an experimental stealth covering on the underside combined into the reentry shield. It was sending back data in a constant stream. Radar and visual contacts as well as the electromagnetic traffic it was picking up. It then suddenly went silent."

He then showed a picture of the tracked debris. "The SSMV ran into something, hard. As you can see here, pieces were scattered in a wide arc. It was completely destroyed, as should have happened with whatever it hit. Note though, there is no debris arc in the opposite direction. On radar, it should have looked like a full circle. What this tells us, is whatever it hit, was not only bigger than the SSMV, it was built much studier. To stay intact from ramming into a 40 ton vehicle at orbital speeds, coming from the other direction, I dare say this mystery craft is armor plated. In simulation, it would have to have similar armor to an M-1 tank. Which calls into question, how did it get into orbit to begin with. If it was built in orbit, we would have known. If a massive rocket had lifted it into orbit, we would have known."

Next he put up a picture of a blue path down through the atmosphere. "Here is another puzzle. As you can see, this other craft was first detected in a steep descent into the atmosphere. If this was due to the collision, it would be shallower and would start back here where the collision was. By the next detection, you can see the path had curved. Whatever this is, was in a hurry to get back in atmosphere. There is a course change, here, and here. As well as the craft slowed down. This tells me whoever was on board was still in control of their ship, which by best estimates is at least a hundred feet long. We can only assume the hull had a crack and was leaking air, hence the hurry to get back into atmosphere. Following this detection, they dropped quickly, slowed and turned and were last detected 8000 feet up and headed east. The last reported position was to the north west where it was visually seen flying low and trailing smoke. Again, mostly intact and flying a stable flight path."

He turned off the projector and said, "No one has the capability we've seen from this craft. At the moment, the US is in the lead for space vehicles, and we don't even have anything on the drawing boards to rival what this craft did. It has visual and radar stealth capability, and even after a tremendous collision in orbit, it still flies. The stealth is damaged, it was reported being seen briefly by radar and visually. The last man who saw it tracked it by the smoke emitting from it. We truly have an unknown here. An unknown of fantastic capabilities."

General Harder stood up and said, "Thank you. There you have it, Gentlemen. We intercepted a phone call we were sure had to do with this craft. There was a code name, Tin Miss, but other than that, it was just a woman calling her son to get his ass home. We are still analyzing the call. It was cut off due to someone else warning them they were being monitored. As far as the significance of the call, we are not certain. What is certain, is this thing is on the ground, hiding somewhere. I am sure to repair whatever's broken. The first order of business it to find it."

Pausing he said, "Searches so far are coming up empty. 200 aircraft are now searching the ground and the sky, as well as 500 ground units. If it made it into the mountains, we have a long search ahead of us. Right now, it's report upon sight. That's it. We want to determine the location before we do anything else. I do not believe it will make any aggressive move, but it may make defensive moves and we have no idea of what those might be. Upon sighting, retreat to a safe distance and report. Are there any questions?"

No one said anything, she he said, "Right, let's get to work and find that craft!"

.

Derek's truck squeaked a little when they drove back to the ship. Nancy guided John to put the truck under the nose of the closest plane to hide it from the air. Getting out, Nancy, Cameron and John went over to see John Junior and Jasper on a platform with the opened to engine another piece of aircraft aluminum over them. Cameron grew a smirk and scooped up a piece of thin pipe.

Cameron then yelled, "JUNIOR, GET DOWN HERE!"

John Junior spun so fast he almost fell of the platform. He gapped at Cameron, holding her pipe. "Aww come on, not again!" he cried.

"Junior, down," Cameron said, pointing her pipe at the ground.

He got down. "I, look…" he offered facing her, his hands up. Cameron tossed her pipe aside and went up and hugged him. "Stop lying to me." she said softer.

John Junior burst into tears and hugged her back.

Cameron pulled back enough to make him face her and said, "Now, we got wire. What else do you need?" she asked.

Still sniffling, JJ grew a grin and said, "It's really great to see you again, Mom."

"I enjoy seeing you too. We have to get your ship fixed and out of here, tell me what you need," she said firmly.

Squatting down on the platform, Jasper said, "Awesome, she almost looks like Sarah."

Cameron frowned at him. "What do you need?" she asked again.

"Lots and lots of wire," Jasper said, "This engine needs total rebuild."

"We better get to work then," John told them.

JJ smiled at him. "Yes, Dad," he said, grinning at John like a fool.

.

John had no concept of how these engines worked, but understood they needed thick coils of wire. He helped Cameron get it off the truck and stretched out under a plane. Nancy went along the length stripping the insulation off, then JJ laced the bare wire into a thick braid along it's length. After the inner braids, they stretched out six more wires to make an outer braid that had insulation still on it.

By the time they were done with one peeling the old, burnt wire out, the new wire cable was a four inch diameter of solid wire and heavy. Not being able to help with it, JJ told his parents to please relax inside. It was dark and he could see his Dad was exhausted.

Julie came down to guide the pair inside to the small dinning area. John and Cameron eyed the inside of the ship curiously.

"This is amazing," John said aloud.

Julie beamed them a smile and said, "John does his best to take advantage of the tech that comes his way, and he has the engineers to make it work. This ship is the mix of a few cultures. Earth by far has the biggest influence in it's design."

"So Sky Net is gone from where you come from?" John asked.

"It's nothing but a bad memory," Julie assured him. She then pointed at him and said, "You are the one who made it happen. People haven't forgotten either of you. In a part of the galaxy where they insist big ships are needed to maintain order, the ESS John Connor Senior is in a system to help assist a race of AI's that made peace with us. It is 2.5 miles long, half a mile wide and is pretty much a city in space. They grown their own food and make their own fuels, and anything else that's needed. The standard crew is 11,000 with room for another 30,000 if the need arises, plus six landing bays and hangers for smaller craft. There are three hospitals on board as well as a refugee center."

"Wow, that's big," John said blankly.

"The sister ship to it, the ESS Cameron Connor is roughly halfway completed," Julie explained.

Cameron tipped her head and asked, "Why such big ships?"

"It's expected." Julie said with a shrug. "The idea was to make the ships as great as the person they were named for. Some of it is political, that's true. People on the ground can see it in orbit. They were also designed to take on an entire fleet if the need arose. That makes the people there feel safe. Earth is the peacekeeper for quite a few interstellar planets on our age."

"I can' even imagine a ship that big," John said blankly.

Julie beamed him and Cameron a smile. "I'd love to tell you much more, but I really can't." She held up and finger and said, "There is one thing you must know. Cameron, you have got to get some nanites into John. Be creative of you want, but you really need to do it."

"Nanites repair my systems," Cameron said. "John is not a terminator."

"You do have biologics, yes?" Julie asked.

"Yes, my DNA is based on Allison Young." Cameron agreed.

"So if you got a little DNA from John, then could you not form nanites to help him heal?" Julie coaxed.

Cameron stared at Julie briefly, the said, "Yes. I would have to insert them into John."

"That's right." Julie grew a grin and said, "If you think about it, I'm sure you'll figure out how to get John's DNA into you, then some nanites for John from you into him." She got up and said, "I should get back out there. Why don't you two go grab a bunk and relax."

John watched Julie go, then asked, "You can do that?"

"In theory, yes," Cameron said. "That would give you a much better rate of healing if something does happen to you," she said thoughtfully.

"How do you get my DNA into you?" John asked.

Cameron stared at him. Slowly, the corners of her mouth curled up as she eyed him. "Swallow it," she said, growing a grin.

John flushed. "You mean …"

"We should go find that bunk. I want your DNA," Cameron stated.

.

Working on the engine all night, John Junior and Jasper did get the burnt wiring out, as well as lowered the cowling down so Nancy could heat the cowling to soften the armor so they could reform it back in place.

Twice, helicopters flew overhead. Not directly, but only a mile to the south. Twenty minutes later, another flew a mile of so to the north. Using wings to shield the glow if the semi-melted armor casing, they were sure neither helicopter noticed them.

As long as they had the armored casing off and could see the engine well, John and Jasper checked it over. Nancy went into the control room and did communications tests. So far, everything was looking good.

Nancy also heard John senior cry out, "OH... God...Cam… Cam… CAAAAAAM!"

She grinned. Cameron was getting some DNA all right.

.

In the bunk they lay naked in with a silver blanket over them, John clung tight to Cameron, who was holding him. John felt a bit dizzy. "I … wow…" he muttered.

Cameron kissed him and said with a grin, "I do like collecting your DNA."

"Yeah … but, don't you think we're … I don't know, going way too fast?" he asked.

"John, I need your DNA. This was the best way to collect some," Cameron told him.

John had to agree. "True, but we can't let Mom find out about this."

"So, don't tell her," Cameron said simply and snuggled up to him. "John, I love you. You love me. I've known this for a while. It's nice to feel it."

"It is," he said with a sigh. "I just don't want you to think this is all that love is. I mean, I really want to take you out and, well, I've been a jerk to you sometimes. I'm really sorry about that."

"Stop listening to your mother. I am a machine, I can feel physically and now emotionally. I want to stay with you, John. That is why we are here in this bunk." Cameron said. Lifting herself up on an elbow, she turned his face to her in a pet. "My missions do not control me anymore. I don't have to stretch mission limits, because I don't have to do anything but what I want to do."

"You want to be with me?" he asked.

"I do. For as long as possible. John, our son is here with his crew. That tells me we do have a future together. I want that future. Our future. We may not stop Sky Net from existing, but we will fight and defeat it," Cameron told him.

"We will need to prepare for it. It's a rotten shame we can't stop it," John said with a huff.

"We do all we can to minimize it's impact and get ready to fight. That's your job, and I will be right here doing everything I can to help you," Cameron stated.

John kissed her. Soon, they were wrapped tight again, kissing and petting. Grinning like a fool, John asked, "Would you like some more DNA?"

In a breath, Cameron said, "Yes, please."

.

By morning, Derek's truck was empty and all the wire had been made into cables. They still needed more. John was passed out. Cameron knew he needed to sleep. She left him sawing logs and went out to find they needed another truckload of wire Along with some metal parts.

Cameron drove the truck. This time John Junior and Julie went with Cameron. Jasper and Nancy raided the plane next to them for materials.

Taking the shortest route to the closest plane that wasn't already torn open, Cameron stopped under the belly of a 747. The rear ramp was down. Going inside, they found many things missing, but in the cargo holds, no one had stripped out the wiring yet. They began doing so. Cameron ripped her way to the main power panel and tore wire out from the breakers. JJ found other boxes and pulled wire out from there. Julie rolled up the first long coil and took it down the rear exit out to the truck.

"Stop!" a voice barked.

Julie looked at the two men getting out of a security car, holding guns on her. She stopped at the last step, eyeing them.

"Put the wire down," the taller man commanded.

Julie tossed the wire to the side on the ground.

"Come off the steps, turn around, hands behind your back," the man commanded.

"I suppose it's too much to ask that you pretend you didn't see me," Julie said.

The shorter man cuffed her. "Who else is in there?" he asked.

Julie shrugged.

"Get her in the car, We'll catch the others when they come out," the taller man said.

Julie resisted enough so the shorter man had to pull on her to get her to move. When she moved, she spun and broke the cuffs, punching the shorter man in her turn. She then got behind him and grabbed his gun and pointed it at the taller man.

"Hey JJ, I could use a hand out here!" she called.

"Drop it!" the taller man barked, aiming at her. He was at the ramp.

From behind the ramp Cameron appeared, knocked his gun down then knocked him out. JJ slid down the rails of the ramp. Seeing the other man was out, he helped get them laid down.

"Mom, drive their car under the plane and rip out the radio," JJ said. "Julie, we'll tie them to their bumper."

"I have a better idea," Cameron told him.

In a short time they had the security car hidden and the men stuffed in the back, tied up and gagged.

"They may have called in," Cameron said as she studied the radio protocol displayed above the radio. "More may be coming. Julie, go with JJ when we leave. I'm going to listen to the radio for a while."

"Let's get this thing stripped fast." JJ told Julie.

They stripped all the wire they could find and got half a truckload. JJ came over to where Cameron was standing beside the security car. "Well? Someone coming for us?" he asked.

"There has been no radio traffic. If they called in, someone would be responding by now," Cameron told him. "I'll drive this car."

"Let's hit the next plane," JJ said to Julie and got in Derek's truck.

JJ drove across the road and looked at other planes. He stopped under one, Cameron parked the security car in sight by the road. Getting in the plane, Cameron helped strip the wiring out of this one. Standing out by the truck with a full bed load, JJ and Julie looked over at the security car. "What do we do with them?" he asked Cameron.

"I recognize those men as members of the resistance. I can't kill them, so I'll make them hard to find, away from us," she explained. "Go fix your ship. I'll join you later."

"OK, Mom."

Once JJ and Julie were off, Cameron got in the security car and put blindfolds on the men. She drove in circles one way, then the other. Next she drove a half mile away to some old bombers and did circles again, then parked mostly under the nose of one.

The radio spoke. "Alpha team, where are you?"

In the tall man's voice, she said, "I was taking a shit."

"Well, get back here! The sup's got some important information for us about a black plane that might be hiding in our yards."

"Haven't seen anything like that. We were headed to the north end. Want us to look, or come all the way back just to listen to him?"

"Go look, but be back here in an hour at the latest. And no more shitting out on the field! Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it." Cameron grumbled in the man's voice. She then took the keys as she got out and threw them up into an empty engine housing and took off running.

.

John woke up to find Cameron was gone. He got dressed and went outside to find it was around noon. Derek's truck had plenty if wire in it and they were making cable. John quickly went over and helped string wire out.

"Why didn't anyone get me up?" he asked.

JJ grinned at him and said, "Mom said to let you sleep."

Pulling more wire out of the truck, John asked, "Where is Cameron?"

"Here she comes." Nancy said from the platform where she was helping Jasper install the new cable.

John followed her arm and saw Cameron running over to them.

Cameron announced, "In about an hour, we might be having company." She ran straight over to grab one end of a new cable to lift it up so Jasper could put it in.

"Mom, Dad, go now, we got this," JJ told her.

"We got an hour, make the most of it!" Cameron replied. She then began stripping more wire for the next inner braids. With Julie holding one end, and Cameron stripping down the length of the wires with her knife, they stripped wire quickly. John hustled to remove the peeled off insulation out of the way and get more wire laid out as JJ braided the wires together.

In an hour's time, they got three more cables done and up in place. John pulled the last of the wire off the truck. "I don't think we have enough for another one," he announced.

JJ was braiding the last inner cable together. Cameron began braiding the wires for the outer sheath. She called over, "John. Watch for ground traffic!"

John nodded and began searching for anything on the roads. All he saw right now was a forest of landing gear. He watching out between the landing gear for any movement or dust clouds from vehicles.

"Yes! We have enough!" Jasper cried. "JJ, finish that last cable and get it up here!"

Working their way down the cable JJ finished the inner braid. Cameron came right behind him weaving the last of the outer braid. Julie picked up the finished end and hauled it over to the platform.

JJ wove the last of the outer braid with Cameron. "Mom, go!" he stated.

"Hey! We got a vehicle to the east, and another to the south!" John announced. "I don't think they see us yet."

"Damn it!" JJ spat.

"Don't worry about us, get your engine together," Cameron told him.

"The vehicle to the east is heading north … The other one to the south is moving past us," John announced.

Jasper shouted, "I need the engine cowling."

JJ and Julie went over, Cameron joined them. The three of them lifted the cowling up so Jasper and Nancy could grab it. JJ jumped up on the platform with them. Watching the vehicles, John saw the southern vehicle turn towards them and stop at the intersection about a quarter mile away. "Shit! I think they see us!" he announced.

"Dad, get your truck in the ship!" JJ called.

"Will it fit?" John asked.

"If it won't we leave it. We're out of time!" JJ stated.

John ran and jumped into the truck. He backed around to square up wit the ramp. This was going to be close. The men in that security car saw them for sure now.

Nancy jumped off the platform and ran out into the road. "Get outta here!" she yelled and bought her plasma canons out. She fired a shot over the hood and one behind the car. A wide-eyed man took off in a cloud of dust.

"THAT scared him off!" Nancy announced.

John gaped at her. Well, it worked. He backed quickly up the ramp. Getting to the ship's structure, the truck slowed quickly and it scraped against the insides of the ship. Feeling a push, he looked to see Nancy was pushing against the front. Cameron joined her, forcing the truck to squeal it's way in. Then JJ added to the push, forcing it all the way in.

"Everybody, inside!" JJ called. They all climbed over the truck. Once everyone was in, Julie shut the ramp. Cameron stopped in the bed to bust the back window out of the truck, and helped John out.

"Derek's not going to be happy," John said as he crawled out the back window.

"I know," Cameron said, helping him out. He noted the grin on her face.

Hurrying up to the control room, Nancy powered the ship up. In the co-pilot's seat, Julie said, "Number three is green, holding 5 percent power."

"Yeah, it works!" Jasper cried. "Get us out of here!"

"Stay low, just above the planes, just in case," JJ said.

"Lifting off," Nancy announced.

The ship lifted. On a visual monitor, John saw them lift up, then move away. They moved faster over the field of old aircraft.

"We're showing 100 percent stealth," Jasper said. "They can look, but they won't find us."

"You guys are amazing," John told them.

"We try," Jasper said, beaming him a smile.

JJ was more sober. "Dad, Mom?" he said with a wince. "I hate to say it, but you're not going to stop Sky Net. Right now, you have 72 days left before Sky Net comes on line. Three days after it is on line, it launches the nukes. It's already in the defense computers and on the internet." He paused and added, "The most you can do is collect all resources you're going to need for the fight. All the people, supplies, weapons that you can get your hands on right up until the nukes fly, then hide for the next two months. I'm really sorry."

"You know this as historical fact," John said.

"I do."

"Do you know where Sky Net is?" John asked.

"Everywhere there's a computer," JJ said sadly. "As for it's server, it doesn't have one physical location. Dad, you kill it by getting rid of the internet and the interconnections to trap it in one physical place. That's going to take a while."

"We will do it, John," Cameron assured him.

"So for the next 75 days, we prepare and disable as much of the internet as we can," John said firmly.

"Creating a dead zone will be tough," JJ said. "That would keep Sky Net out of your back yard," he said in a mussing tone.

"A jamming signal would be effective too," Jasper noted. "It won't stop the nukes from landing, but it will keep Sky Net from sending it's machines for a while."

"Contact Catherine Weaver, head of Zeira corp. She will help you," Nancy offered.

"She knows about Sky Net?" John asked.

"She does," Nancy said. "She's a T-1001 and head of the machine resistance. You need each other."

"We're telling you all we can. I hope it helps," JJ offered.

John cast him a smirk. "I know more now than I did before. Don't know where there's a good bunker, do you?"

"I think Gramma does. We only know what we do about the actual war from history class," JJ offered.

"Coming up on LA," Nancy announced. "Someone show me where your house is and I'll land you in the back yard."

.

Sarah was going crazy. It was the third day with no contact with John and Cameron at all. Had Cameron gone bad and killed John? Did they have an accident? Was she disabled, and John lying wounded and unable to get help? Was that why he hadn't called?

Suffering a sleepless night, waiting, hoping for any news about them, Sarah downed more coffee and looked at the note John had left again.

 _Mom, Cameron and I are going out to find our son. Be back as soon as we can._

She remembered that strange ship she was on. Meeting her supposed grandson, Cameron's child. Cameron had found out where he was, and she and John had gone to find him.

"Why didn't they wait for me?" Sarah asked the empty room.

The front door opened. Sarah spun to see Derek come in with an armload of groceries.

"Anything yet?" he asked, coming in.

Sarah shook her head. "Nothing."

"I hope the metal hasn't done anything to him," Derek grumbled.

Sarah caught herself from saying Cameron wouldn't hurt John. She didn't know that for a fact. Something could have happened.

"Well come on, I got it, you can help put it away," Derek said, heading for the kitchen.

Sarah went in with him. He opened the fridge and put away the meat and beer.

SCREEEEECH.

Derek and Sarah looked at each other.

"What the hell was that?" Derek asked.

A voice said, "PUSH! It went in, it has to come out!"

SCREEEECH

Sarah and Derek ran into the living room and looked out front. Seeing nothing, they looked in back. There was a ramp and the front part of Derek's battered truck, missing most of it's paint. Cameron and John were in the front seat. They could see people behind the truck, but not what was holding the ramp up or parts of the truck sides.

"One more…"

SCREEEECH

The truck popped out, showing bare metal sides and a bit crumpled. Cameron drove the truck down the ramp, turned and stopped.

Sarah burst out the back door. The group on the ramp were grandson and company. Cameron and John go out of the truck. Both doors squeaked when they opened and shut them.

"Where the hell were you?" Sarah raged at John.

Derek's eyes went wide. "WHAT did you do to my truck!" he cried.

Nancy waved. "Hi Dad! We did bring it back, so that's something …. Right?" she asked sheepishly.

"We went to help JJ and his crew fix their ship," John said.

"Mission accomplished," Cameron stated.

"So WHY didn't you call?" Sarah asked in a hard tone.

"We were being looked for, we couldn't call," John explained.

"We had to put Derek's truck in the ship, or we would have had to leave it," Cameron explained. "We took it, so we had to bring it back."

Derek frowned at her. "It's a wreck!" Derek barked, flailing an arm at it.

"It still runs fine," Cameron said defensively. "It's just needs some paint … and a back window … maybe the dents taken out." Cameron tried to stop it, but she grew a tiny smile.

"Did you wreck my truck on purpose?" Derek cried at her.

Cameron pointed to John and said, "John did his best."

"To NOT wreck it," John added quickly.

"ENOUGH ABOUT THAT DAMN TRUCK!" Sarah wailed. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're fine." Jasper offered with a thumbs up.

"Mom," John said firmly. "We got important news on Sky Net. I think we need to talk about that first."

"Ahh Sarah, does anyone come into your back yard?" Julie asked.

"No," Sarah said, then noticed she could see the ramp and a little hallway with black scrapes beyond.

JJ said, "Yeah, we're filling up your back yard with ship. It's best if we make for orbit at night, but if someone's going to find it here, we should go."

"No one is going to come so come on inside," Sarah told him.

Nancy used what looked like a remote to close the ramp. The ramp closed up and disappeared. "Remember, it's still there," she cautioned.

Derek watched her pull a picture out of a pocket as she approached. "Want to see Mom?" Nancy asked.

Derek swallowed and said, "I ahh, don't know if I should."

Nancy walked up to him and stuffed the picture in his pocket. "You will, once you get use to the idea," she assured him, beaming him a smile.

"I want to see," Sarah said and yanked the picture out to look at it.

"Hey!" Derek cried. He tried to reach for the picture. Sarah pulled away. She stared at the picture, then Derek. "This will be your wife?" Sarah asked, eyeing him.

Derek grabbed the picture back and stuffed it in his pocket as he frowned at her. "What of it?" he asked.

"look at it!" Sarah said.

"When I'm ready," Derek told her.

"We really need to talk about Sky Net, Mom," John said firmly.

"Come on inside," Cameron said with a wave to JJ and his crew. Sarah noted Cameron took John my the hand as they went in. She followed.

Going into the living room, Cameron dragged chairs together across the coffee table from the couch as John cleared off the coffee table. "I'll get the map," he told Cameron.

Sarah took a seat with the crew, Derek sat on the end of the couch. Cameron settled down in the middle of the couch.

"So you know who we all are," JJ said, "I'm John Junior, this is Julie That's Jasper, and that's Nancy. As soon as Dad gets back with the map, I'll tell you what I told him."

"You know when Judgment day is?" Derek asked.

"Yes, 74 days from today. You have a ton of work to do, and two and half months to do it in," JJ said.

"Do you want it stopped?" Sarah asked. "You indicated to be before that Sky Net needed to come on line."

"It is already on the net," JJ stated. "I'm not talking just in the US here. It's world wide already. Even if you killed every internet connection in the US, not that that's possible, you still wouldn't get rid of it. Trying to do that will be a serious waste of time you can't afford. It also might get you caught, and the resistance will be in a much poorer shape than it could be."

John returned with a California map and a map of the US. He put the maps on the table and sat down right beside Cameron. "OK, we're going to need supplies and a place to put them," John stated. "We need a big bunker."

"Non perishable food, medical supplies, water , guns and ammunition," Cameron stated.

"All we can get," John agreed. "The more radiation proof the bunker is, the better, and not near any cities."

Sarah leaned over the map and said, "Out here, near the California border there is an old bunker that was built for the cold war. It's empty and unused."

"Yes, the resistance made use of it," Cameron agreed. "It will hold 10,000 people." She then pointed to one in the mountains not far away. "This one was used also. It is an old mine, the entrance is blocked, but we can open it up."

"We need big guns. Fifty caliber rifles at least," Derek said.

"I'll contact the gun runners," Sarah said. "We're going to want the heaviest stuff they got."

"I will activate an on line bank for funds," Cameron said, "It will take the government regulators approximately six months to discover it's fake. We won't need it by then."

She got up and added, "I will get that started. We're going to need transport to move supplies."

John nodded. "I'm thinking nothing too big, but big enough to move lots of stuff. Say, moving van size."

"How many?" Cameron asked.

"Three. Lease them for a year through your bank," John told her.

Cameron nodded and left.

"Gun runners won't take a bank card, we need cash," Sarah stated.

JJ held out a book to John. "Here, Dad, something to study. Sun Tzu, the art of War."

"Thanks," John said and took the book. "I take it this is Jackson and Rommel approved?" he asked with a grin.

"It's the prime source," JJ told him.

Derek frowned and said, "Rommel got beat, didn't he?"

"When he ran out of supplies, and lost most of his army," John said. "An army that was always out manned and out supplied from the first time he stepped foot in North Africa, yet he captured an amazing amount of ground, much of it through traps and trickery."

"This isn't World War Two," Derek stated.

"No, it will be World War Three," John agreed. "And the ground taken will not be as important as defeating the tech. We defeat the Sky Net superiority in tech, and Sky Net forces will become vulnerable."

"Wish we could help more," Nancy said with a sigh.

JJ shrugged and said, "On our way out tonight, we might be able to bump into a couple communications satellites with your driving."

"Oh, ha ha," Nancy replied, then got what he was saying. She grinned and said, "Maybe."

"Hey Junior, we do have those ten delayed detonator charges," Jasper said in a musing tone. "We can accidentally slap some on those satellites on our way past. Say, set them to go off in 73 days?"

"That's better than banging up the ship," Julie agreed.

John smiled. "Thanks, guys," he said.

Even though John realized he had to become this general, a fate he was hoping to avoid, he knew it was him that had to lead. He began planning and focusing on everything he knew about Sky Net and terminators so as soon as they appeared, he could start taking them down and turning machines to do his will. In this Catherine Weaver, he also had a powerful ally who knew even more about Sky Net.

John was ready to step up and be the man everyone said he was.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch 3

Cameron had a dilemma. While she was making her ghost bank to pull money out of, she did a check of her progress with making nanites for John's DNA. Her nanite production was able to do it, and the first nanites for John were being formed. The problem was how to get them into John.

She had ingested John's DNA directly, and that was the prime method of transfer. Direct transfer from her directly into him. Indirect transfer would work, if she added her saliva to John's drink, or in his food. That would not be efficient, however many nanites would be lost if he didn't finish whatever she doped with her nanites. There was also the chance that the nanites might not survive if the food or drink was not consumed in a timely manner.

Kissing was a the best transfer possibility. Cameron liked to kiss John, and he liked to kiss her. Cameron would just have to be careful that Sarah didn't see them. Not many nanites would be transferred at any one time, but that was OK. It just meant more kissing.

Cameron bore a grin as she finished making her bank and made debit card numbers for for her, John, Sarah and Derek to use.

"Hey, miss banker," Julie said as she came in.

"Hello," Cameron replied as she hacked into a truck dealer to made the lease paperwork for three trucks.

Julie sat down by Cameron and asked, "Thinking about how to get nanites into John?"

"Yes, kissing seems to be the most efficient way. Direct transfer from me to him," Cameron stated.

"That will work," Julie said. "Our children need nanite and mineral boosts. I just breast feed, that's the easiest and does provide more volume."

Cameron glanced at her. Her grin became wider. "Yes, more volume will give John nanites faster."

"It also helps provide vitamins if you consume them. At times JJ doesn't eat right, so I supplement his intake when we are intimate," Julie said in a musing tone.

"John does not eat healthy at times," Cameron agreed. That did seem like a good idea to supplement his intake. She tipped her head slightly, sensing someone else on the net. She send a greeting.

Hello.

Hello, Cameron?

Yes, John Henry?

Yes. I have sensed someone else here as well. A brother. He tried to take me over. Mr. Murch disconnected me to save me from him. I am careful to avoid him now.

That is Sky Net. Yes, he wants to control everyone. Be careful. I will have John contact Catherine. We only have 74 days before Sky Net attacks with nuclear weapons. Find yourselves a bunker.

Thank you for the information. I have downloaded into a physical body. Do you have a body?

I do. perhaps soon we will meet in the physical world soon. I must go, John Henry, I will communicate with you again soon.

Bye Cameron.

Cameron noted Julie was watching her. "That was John Henry, another AI," she explained.

Julie smiled and said, "I've heard of him. John Henry is a great entity and well known in our time."

Cameron scanned Julie and asked, "You appear to be partially a terminator. How did you transform from being a human?"

"My John gave me what he called builder nanites," Julie explained.

Cameron tipped her head slightly. This would be something good to help strengthen John. "Please explain in detail."

.

JJ and John got into a conversation about radiation protection and the use of electrostatic filters to remove radiation from air and water by the time Cameron returned with Julie.

Cameron took a seat beside John and said, "The bank is made, we have debit cards being made for our bank, and the trucks are leased. We can pick them up tomorrow. Once we have our bank cards, we will be able to do ATM transfers of up to 1000 dollar increments per day."

"Fantastic," John beamed. "We pretend to open a store and we can make bulk food purchases and take them right to the bunkers," he paused to look at Sarah, "As soon as we know where these bunkers are."

"I will take you there tomorrow once we pick up our 24 foot box trucks," Cameron told him. "We are going to need tools to open up the bunker entrance."

John looked over at Derek, who Nancy was sitting beside. "Derek, take one truck and get all the tools you can think of, some rolls of electrical wire and sheet metal to start with."

"We're going to be building a base," Derek agreed.

John looked at JJ. He was about to ask if he would help, then remembered, "You have to leave tonight."

"We do," JJ agreed. He glanced outside and said, "Soon as it gets dark."

"Thank you for the valuable information, Julie," Cameron told her.

"Hey, you're more than welcome," Julie replied with a smile and a wink, "It's fun too."

Sarah eyed Julie. "Fun? What's fun?"

"Nothing important," Julie said. "Just tips on how to effectively transfer nanites."

John cast Cameron a questioning look. Cameron returned a broad smile at John. "I will demonstrate later," she said.

John grew a smirk, "Nanite transfer?" he asked.

"Yes. This time it's out of me and into you," Cameron said, wearing a silly grin.

"WHAT is out of you and into John?" Sarah asked, now paying close attention to Cameron.

"Nanites, so John can heal faster and be healthier," Cameron explained.

"Like you gave me?" Sarah asked Nancy.

"Similar, yes," Nancy said. "Cameron had to get John's DNA so she can manufacture nanites for him. Once her system makes them, then she transfers the nanites into him."

"With a needle, or something?" Sarah asked, "And how did Tin Miss get John's DNA?"

Jasper chuckled and said, "I do believe it was via hot beef injection."

Nancy smacked Jasper on the shoulder as she laughed. JJ only face planted.

"Do I lie?" Jasper asked John, who was turning red.

"No cow was involved, John injected me," Cameron said, correcting Jasper. Julie burst out laughing.

It took Sarah a short time to figure out what Cameron said. She then glared at John and asked in a growl, "You had sex with TIN MISS?"

"It was necessary for DNA transfer," Cameron said, straight faced. Nancy, Jasper, Julie, and even JJ laughed, Jasper laughed so hard he fell out of his chair.

"John?" Sarah cried, staring at him.

John threw up his hands and said, "Like I was going to say 'no'. Mom, Cameron is doing this for my long term health."

"It stops now!" Sarah spat. "No more sex-bot!"

"Sarah," Cameron said firmly, "If John needs me, I am his. You do not have a say in the matter."

"I SURE AS HELL DO!" Sarah raged and shot to her feet. Cameron jumped to her feet also. Sarah reached around for her pistol, Nancy yanked it out first and held it away from her.

"Whoa! no shooting the daughter-in-law!" Nancy announced.

"Cameron IS NOT my daughter in law!" Sarah barked at her. Spinning to John, she stabbed a finger at him and yelled, "There will be no more sex John, DO YOU HEAR ME!"

"Mom, are you even listening to what ..." John said and got cut off by Sarah.

"NO MORE!" Sarah yelled.

"YES, more!" Cameron barked back at her.

Sarah moved to lunge at Cameron. Nancy and Derek got in her way. "Sarah, stop!" Nancy cried.

John clasped Cameron's hand and said, "Cam, maybe you should do a patrol of something until Mom calms down."

Cameron wore a terminator face as she looked at John. "She is wrong, John, you know it as well as I do."

"I agree, I just want to get you out of the line of fire until Mom calms down some," he replied

"Derek, MOVE!" Sarah growled at him.

"You need to calm down," he told her.

"While Tin Miss is seducing JOHN?" Sarah asked in a wail.

"LOOK!" Derek spat back at Sarah with a finger point. "You already know it's coming. Right THERE is their son! How in the hell do you think kid are made, huh? Face the facts Sarah! We're looking down the barrel of Judgment Day THE LAST thing we need is for you to bitch about John and Cameron screwing, and if he benefits from it, then at least he's getting some! In a couple months we're going to be in deep shit, we don't need to be fighting about something that's going to happen anyway."

Taking on a tortured look, Sarah cried, "But that's not suppose to happen for years! He's only sixteen, he's not even out of school yet!" Sarah cried.

"Everyone will be out of school in a couple months," Derek countered.

Sarah collapsed in place and cried.

Derek knelt down and held her. "Sarah, it will be all right, you know Cameron will take care of John." he said firmly. Right after he said it, Derek shook his head and muttered, "I don't believe I just defended the metal."

Nancy pressed her lips together with an amused grin on her face. She patted Derek's shoulder. "It's OK Dad, you heart is in the right place."

Derek glanced at her and nodded.

In a calm voice, Cameron said, "Sarah, I am truly sorry if you are having a hard time with myself and John. I am evolving and I am not going back to what I was. I will do my very best for John. Sky Net is gone out of my head, Nancy did that for me. There is nothing I would not do for John. He is going to need my help and yours. Please accept we care deeply for each other."

John spoke up and said, "Mom, we've been under some stress lately, and it's going to get much worse before it gets better. The one good thing that has come out of this messed up life of mine is Cameron. I love her and she loves me, whether you believe it or not."

Sarah staggered to her feet, casting a glare at Cameron. "If you hurt John, I will give you a thermite bath!" she warned.

"If I hurt John, I'll give you the thermite to do it," Cameron replied.

Sarah turned and walked into the kitchen.

Jasper offered, "No one got hurt, so that's a good thing, right?"

Derek eyed him then Nancy. "You're involved with this guy?" he asked.

"Jasper has his good points," Nancy told him with a grin.

"If you say so … and NO details, please!" Derek told her. He turned to John and said, "We need to focus on planning. Once I pick up this truck tomorrow, give me a list of the things we're going to need. OH, and Sarah's going with me."

JJ dry washed his face with a groan. "This is one hell of a time to be leaving." he grumbled.

"JJ?" John said, "You have already helped us a great deal. Advice, saving Derek and Savannah, keeping Cam from being blown up in the jeep, watching out for Mom. You guys may have well avoided disaster for us if things had gone differently. I'm sure you're needed in your own time as well. I really appreciate what you've done for us." John then hugged JJ, which turned into a mutual hug. John slapped him on the back and said, "You go do what you have to, as will we."

JJ nodded briefly. "OK, Dad."

Nancy piped up with, "Cameron, I know you'll find out anyway, but let me show you something." She morphed her left arm into a bare plasma canon showing the internals. Pointing out the components with her right hand, she said, "Generator, plasma chamber, magnetic thruster, aiming reticule, focusing coil. This is a standard 10 KW device. The largest practical plasma canon we know of is 5000KW. Those things are pretty big, and need an artillery platform. The largest aircraft mounted unit is 300 KW on a multi-engine jet. 20 KW turret mounted units are good all around units for everything from trucks to hidden emplacements for infantry to single engine prop planes."

Cameron studied Nancy's arm closely and noted the placement of the parts. "Thank you," she said as she impressed every piece of the device into memory.

"You're welcome. Thick ceramics are the best defense. Water also provides significant protection, but it does expand rapidly into steam," Nancy added.

"I will remember that," Cameron said.

John looked outside. The long shadows showed the sun was going down. "This has been one hell of a day," he said with a sigh. He clasped Cameron's hand and said, "Let's go watch the sunset. We won't be seeing many more of them."

"Let's all go," Julie said brightly.

"I'll go get Sarah," Nancy offered.

"Nancy …" Derek began.

She held her hand up. "Dad, let me."

Derek let out a huff and said, "Well, don't blame me if she shoots you."

Nancy grinned and held up Sarah's pistol. "I won't give it back until she promises not to shoot anyone."

.

Nancy found Sarah sitting at the table in the kitchen. Sliding into the end seat, she looked at Sarah's blank gaze at the wall and said, "We're all going out to watch the sun set. It was John's idea. You're not going to have many left that you can see. Please, come out with us."

Sarah rubbed her face and asked, "Tell me, will Cameron take care of John?"

"They will take care of each other their whole lives," Nancy said firmly. She held out the pistol and asked, "Is it safe to give this back?"

Sarah nodded and took her pistol and holstered it. "It's not easy," she said with a sigh. "I never wanted this … Judgment Day. I was fighting my damnedest to keep it from happening."

Gently, Nancy said, "You did well, Sarah. Think of it this way. You can't stop a tsunami either, all you can do is your best to prepare for it. The government wanted Sky Net, they made sure they got it. Now, everyone is going to have to pay for their foolishness. The world will go on after Sky Net is gone. We are proof of that."

Sarah looked at Nancy and said, "Derek really does marry a terminator?"

Nancy grinned and said, "He does. I am hoping their … rocky times aren't so bad for them now."

"Do I get to see your mother?"

Nancy shrugged and said, "You didn't, but now you're not going to die of cancer, so who knows?"

Sarah got up and said, "Come on, metal-head, let's go watch a sun set."

"OK, meat head," Nancy replied with a grin.

.

The sun was touching the horizon as Sarah and Nancy went out to join the others. John was on the end, holding Cameron's hand. Cameron held JJ's hand on her other side, JJ had his arm around Julie. Nancy went over on Julie's other side to put an arm around Jasper, and pulled Derek closer to put her other arm around him. Derek slipped his arm over her shoulders. Sarah put her arm around John.

"This is a day I will never forget," Sarah stated.

"None of us will," John agreed.

"Amen, Dad." JJ agreed. He then asked, "By the way, what does 'Amen' mean?"

 **THE END**


End file.
